The Nehru Report and Muslim Rights — Page 143
CH APTER X. Muslim Representation in the Central Government. DETAILED STUDY-( Continued. ) The fourth demand of the Muslims is for one-third of the seats in the Central Government ; or at least for a guarantee of their present position. As already stated, this demand also has been rejected by the Nehru Com mittee, which says:-" We have given our best consi deration to the matter but we regret we are unable to recommend reservation of one-third of the total number of seats for Muslims in the central legislature. ·' ( Nehru Report, p. 54. ) The committee proposes instead that in provinces where the Muslims are in a minority, their rights shall be reserved and in the Punjab and Bengal, there shall be an open contest. I have already explained that according to the ad mission of the Nehru Committee itself, in provinces where the Muslims are in a minority, far from being able to secure more than their proper share, they would hardly be able to win seats even in proportion to their population. It is, therefore, sheer madness to expect that, as a result of the arrangement recommended by the Nehru Committee, the Muslims will be able to win seats in excess of their population ratio. The arrange ment will, in fact, prove a severe blow to the Muslims. It is, therefore, indispensable that at least a third of the seats in the Central Legislature should be reserved for them. The arguments put forward by the Nehru Committee against such Reservation of Seats are as follows :-